1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plant growing apparatus for growing plants therein, particularly an elongated tube type disposed vertically having openings to receive the plants.
2. Prior Art
Many patents have been issued on apparatus for growing plants in rooting medium contained in small containers, such as vertically disposed tubes. Some of these patents disclose means to water the plants using fibrous wicks extending centrally of the tube between at least one reservoir containing a liquid at an end of the tube. One device of this type is shown in French Pat. No. 1,503,197 issued to Vade, in which the tube side wall has openings therein through which plants grow, lower portions of the plant adjacent the root usually growing horizontally outwardly through the opening and then bending to point towards the light source. In this reference, there is no provision shown to ensure that water is distributed equally along the tube, and it is expected that most water would be distributed to the upper plants with the lower plants being starved. Also a rigid, smooth wall tube would likely be unable to respond easily to excessive temperature fluctuations, and does not easily hold the rooting medium which would possibly result in over compression of rooting medium at a lower end of the tube. Furthermore, rigid side walls tend to be difficult to cut and thus it can be difficult to make additional openings to receive plants. Also, because the roots of adjacent plants would tend to intertwine with each other, it would be difficult to separate plants after a while and thus it might be convenient to use this type of tube for growing seedlings which would later require separation.